Packaging system

ABSTRACT

A bottle packaging system in a bottling line comprises the following components: a pick-up device ( 2 ) having a rotating carousel to pick up the bottles ( 11 ) from a labelling or filling machine ( 1 ), a rectilinear, multi-lane ( 4, 4 ′) conveying belt ( 3 ), a packaging machine, such as a shrinkwrap machine ( 6 ) or a cartoning machine, a transport system ( 7 ) to connect the packs exiting from the packaging machine ( 6 ) with downstream devices, wherein this system comprises, at a grip circumference (C) of the rotating carousel ( 2 ), which corresponds to the point of release of the bottles ( 11 ) by gripping means ( 13 ), a connecting zone ( 12 ) with the conveying belt ( 3 ), wherein the connecting zone ( 12 ) is constituted by a plurality of adjacent flexible chain belts with a spiral progression, that is to say, with increasing curvature radius, which constitute as many lanes ( 14 ), adapted to support and distance, in a centrifugal direction, the bottles ( 11 ) released thereon by the gripping means ( 13 ), directing them into the corresponding lane ( 4, 4 ′) of the conveying belt ( 3 ), the lanes ( 14 ) of the connecting zone ( 12 ) underneath the rotating carousel ( 2 ) being in a position of intersection (X) with the grip circumference (C).

PRIORITY

The present application is related to, claims the priority benefit of, and is a United States 35 U.S.C. §371 national stage entry of, International Patent Application Serial No. PCT/IB2013/043108, filed Apr. 19, 2013, which is related to, and claims the priority benefit of Italian Patent Application Serial No. PR2012A 000024, filed on Apr. 20, 2012. The contents of each of these applications are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety into this disclosure.

SUMMARY

The present invention relates to the field of packaging plants for bottles and/or containers in general for liquids.

It more specifically relates to the end part of the plant, which starts from the labeller or filler and reaches the palletising machine.

It is known that if multiple machines are mechanically or electronically connected, the result is a system having as production efficiency, the product of the efficiencies of the individual machines. Therefore, by connecting multiple machines in sequence, the overall efficiency is decreased. Furthermore, the interposition of accumulation transports contributes to reducing the overall efficiency.

To increase this value it is necessary for the coupling/interface devices to resolve those problems that generate stoppages and thus losses in the efficiency of the individual machines.

By analysing the individual machines that comprise a packaging plant, the following main problems are for example inferred:

-   -   labeller: wet bottles, reel change;     -   shrinkwrap machine: input bottle thrust, film change,         thermoshrinking energy;     -   cartoning machine: input bottle thrusts;     -   transports: format change with consequent guide adjustment;     -   palletiser: inlet packs synchronization.

The aim of the present invention is to guarantee a constant pressure on the separation system, normally having pegs or spacer elements, of the shrinkwrap machine that is responsible for dividing and spacing each bottle to form the desired groups.

Indeed, this is surely the greatest loss of efficiency problem in the shrinkwrap/cartoning machine.

A further aim of the system is to bring the packs to the palletiser and to allow the oven of the shrinkwrap machine to empty in the event of stoppage, so as to prevent the packs remaining inside the oven for too long from burning.

A further aim is to reduce the linear velocity of the output bottles from the labeller/filling machine in the smallest possible space without introducing instability in the bottles.

These aims are all achieved by the packaging system, object of the present invention, which is characterised by what is provided in the below-reported claims.

This and other characteristics will become more readily apparent from the following description of certain embodiments illustrated, purely by way of a non-limiting example, in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a plan view of an example of bottling line comprising, downstream of a labelling or filling machine, a packaging system object of the invention;

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates the rotating carousel of the bottle dividing device according to a first embodiment;

FIG. 3 illustrates a diagram of the path of the bottles labelled along the conveying belt on reducing the speed according to the embodiment of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 illustrates, in exploded form, the components of the connecting/release zone of the bottles in spiral progression;

FIG. 5 a illustrates, from above, the rotating carousel equipped with gripping means;

FIGS. 5 b and 5 c show an enlarged detail of the gripping means, in the open position and closed position respectively;

FIG. 6 illustrates the conveying belt with independent motors for the accumulation of the bottles before the shrinkwrap machine;

FIGS. 7 a-7 d illustrate the transport system, with dynamic accumulation without guides, of the bundled packs, according to different operating configurations;

FIG. 8 schematically illustrates the rotating carousel and the bottle dividing device according to a second embodiment;

FIGS. 9-15 schematically show an interaction sequence with a bottle of the rotating carousel, of which, for the sake of simplicity, only one gripping means is represented.

With particular reference to FIG. 1, a bottling line is illustrated comprising, upstream, a blowing and filling machine of known type and, downstream, in the end part of the line, possibly a labelling machine, followed by the packaging system according to the invention.

In the example represented, the packaging system comprises a pick-up device 2 to pick up filled, and possibly labelled, bottles from an upstream machine, a bottle dividing device comprising a multi-lane conveying belt 3, provided with a connecting zone 12 with the labelling or filling machine 1, a shrinkwrap machine 6, a transport system 7, at least one handle applicator 8 to apply the strip that acts as handle of the bundle and at least a palletiser 9.

The pick-up device 2 comprises a dividing carousel that rotates according to a vertical axis arranged at the output, that is to say, downstream of the labelling or filling machine 1 and provided with a plurality of gripping means 13, of a clamp type in the example, which performs the function of picking up bottles 11 and releasing them onto one of the plurality of lanes 14 of the connecting zone 12 of the dividing device. Nine lanes are shown in the example of FIG. 2, of which eight are transport lanes and one a discard lane, each formed by flexible chain belts.

The connecting zone 12 with the multi-lane conveying belt 3 is formed by a series of a circular arc segments that are joined together so as to define a flexible chain belt with continuous surface having a spiral progression. Spiral progression means a progression with a curvature radius that increases in the advancement direction. Thus, when released by the gripping means 13 on the connecting zone 12, the bottles 11, in addition to being supported in resting in the lane 14 corresponding to the release zone, are progressively moved away from the centre of rotation of the carousel 2 and thus from the respective gripping means 13, according to the above-mentioned spiral progression.

Three segments 12A, 12B, 12C, are shown in the example of FIG. 4, each substantially defining an arc of a circle of about 90°. Each segment is equipped with a fixed number of lanes 14 greater than the upstream segment in the bottle advancement direction. In the example shown, the first segment 12A has three lanes 14, the second segment 12B has six lanes 14 and the third segment 12C has nine lanes 14, equal in number to the lanes of the conveying belt 3 located downstream. The segments are aligned with each other on the outer perimeter, so that the outer lane 14 of the first segment 12A is also the outer lane 14 of the second and third segment 12B and 12C.

The lanes 14 of the connecting zone 12, arranged with a spiral progression, and the rotating carousel 2, which has the gripping means 13 that are movable along a grip circumference C, are reciprocally arranged so that each lane 14 that forms the belt of the connecting zone 12, is located underneath the rotating carousel 2, so that the release takes place at the desired point corresponding with the intersection X of the grip circumference C, as better illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3.

In particular, the release of the bottles 11 by the rotating carousel 2 takes place at positions distributed equidistant along an arc of the grip circumference C of angle α greater than 90° and preferably between 180°-240° and directly on a different lane 14 of the connecting zone 12 underlying the point of release. Thus the bottles 11 are released by the rotating carousel 2, not along a single lane, but already along lanes 14 of the connecting zone 12 which are arranged side by side to each other. In the example illustrated in FIG. 2, the release takes place along an arc of a circle of substantially 240° in discrete spaced positions of about 30°.

According to a further embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the connecting zone 12 comprises eight transport lanes 14 separated from each other by a lamina 21. The release of the bottles 11 by the rotating carousel 2 takes place at positions of intersection with the grip circumference C distributed equidistant along an arc of angle α equal to about 240°.

According to a preferred embodiment, as shown for example in FIG. 9, each of the gripping means 13 of the rotating carousel 2 comprises a thrust linear actuator 22 that pushes the gripping means 13 radially outward against a cam control.

The radial return movement is instead controlled by the cam profile itself.

The reciprocating movement in the radial direction of the gripping means 13 occurs between an extracted position corresponding to the opening of said gripping means 13 and a retracted position corresponding to the closure of said gripping means 13.

A cam 23 is associated with each lane 14 of the connecting zone 12; the cams 23 are distributed on two superimposed discs 24. A service cam 23′ along the angular section that does not cooperate with the connecting zone maintains the gripping means in the extracted and open position until the bottle 11 is picked up by the rotating carousel 2 of the filling/labelling machine.

In particular, the release step of the bottle onto the lane 14 of the connecting zone 12 is progressively carried out along an end section, having an inclined profile, of the cam 23 to accompany the bottle 11 in the spiral trajectory of the lane 14.

The sequence of FIGS. 9-15 shows the picking up of a bottle 11 transported by a carousel of a filling or labelling machine 1 and the release thereof onto the predetermined lane 14 of the connecting zone 12.

FIG. 9 shows the approach step of a gripping means 13 in the advanced open position towards the bottle 11 to be picked up. Moving along the inclined outlet end section of the service cam 23′, the gripping means 13 tighten around the bottle and progressively radially retract (FIG. 10). After having reached the fully retracted position, the gripping means 13 are maintained in this position during rotation of the carousel 2 (FIG. 11) until the cam 23 associated with the preselected lane 14, in the example, the third lane 14 from the outside, is reached. The gripping means are progressively pushed by the piston 22 towards the outside and guided by the inclined inlet end section of the cam 23 (FIG. 12), progressively opening (FIG. 13) until the bottle 11 is released on the lane 14 in proximity of the bottom of the cam 23 (FIG. 14) and then recalled by the output end section of the cam 23 in a backward closed position (FIG. 15).

The division carousels 2 described for the present invention, adapted to release the bottles 11, not along a single lane but already along lanes 14 arranged side by side to each other, could also constitute an autonomous device combined with the use of timing screws.

The shrinkwrap machine 6 is an automatic or manual packaging machine suitable for grouping the bottles with a thermoshrinkable film.

The transport system 7 with dynamic accumulation is preferably of the counting type and without bundled packs guides.

The handle applicator 8, i.e. an apparatus for applying the strip, generally of paper, which acts as the handle of the bundle, is installed in the represented example on the dynamic transport system 7 and precisely at the inlet of the belt of the palletiser 9. Indeed, one or more palletisers 9 are placed in line with possible pack orienting means 10.

The illustrated example is indicative and it is clear that in addition to the above-mentioned components, further machines suitable for specific purposes may be present without departing from the scope of protection of the invention. The above-mentioned components may also be replaced with equivalent components or in part altogether omitted, as in the aforementioned case of the labeller. Where present, the labeller incorporates a label presence checking device.

For example, the shrinkwrap machine may be replaced by a different packaging machine, such as a cartoning machine. In this configuration, the transport system 7 will be a simple transport without accumulation functions, the oven and the relevant critical issues not being present in the event of stoppage.

Again from the figures, in particular from FIG. 6, it is observed that each lane of the eight transport lanes of the multi-lane conveying belt 3, transport lanes indicated by the reference 4, is divided into at least three sections 4A, 4B, 4C, that are sequential to each other in the advancement direction. Each of said sections 4A, 4B, 4C has a motor 5A, 5B, 5C that is electronically controlled by counting to keep a constant thrust on to the bottle division system of the downstream shrinkwrap machine. The sections 4A, 4B, 4C of each lane 4 are rectilinear and their arrangement is such as to allow the lateral deviation of the bottles 11 between one section and the other and to allow the scheduled slowdown along the line, as can clearly be seen in the drawings. The ends of two consecutive sections are laterally adjacent.

A discard lane, where present, is indicated by 4′.

A second preferred embodiment of the conveying multi-lane belt 3 according to the invention, shown in FIG. 8, provides for the presence, along each transport lane 4, of at least three, in the example four, modular sections 4′A, 4′B, 4′C, 4′D, each equipped with its own motor 5′A, 5′B, 5′C, 5′D, wherein each section has a lesser speed with respect to the upstream section and is constituted by a group of conveying belts, each controlled by its own motor 5′A, 5′B, 5′C, 5′D, arranged in oblique direction with respect to the advancement direction of the multi-lane conveying belt 3.

At each of the transport lanes 4, which are separated from each other by laminas 21, adjacent belts belonging to different sections are placed close to each other, along their lateral edge 25. Passing from one section to the next one, which is slower, the bottles 11 decelerate while advancing in a rectilinear line, that is to say, without changing direction.

The gripping means 13 of the rotating carousel 2 will unload the output bottles according to a predefined program, that is to say, depending on the scheme of work of the packaging machine 6.

On the connecting zone 12, the bottles 11 are subject to the centrifugal force and the contact/friction of the chain on which the bottles 11 rest.

As regards the second aim of the invention, the provision of a transport system 7 with dynamic accumulation associated with the packaging system allows the packs to be brought to the palletiser 9 and allows the shrinkwrap machine oven (oven, which as known, implements the thermoshrinking) to empty in the event of stoppage. On the contrary, if the packs should remain therein for too long they would be damaged.

The dynamic accumulation transport system 7 consists of a plurality of belts 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 without guides on which the packs 10 rest. The series of belts 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 are arranged head-adjacent, namely, along their short side.

Each belt 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 has an independent motorisation so as to be able to govern, through a central, even computerised, control system, the space between one pack and the next, which will obviously be a function of the speed of the belts sequentially mounted in the advancement direction.

To create accumulation, the packs are brought closer without touching each other, slowing down the successive belt; whereas in normal conditions they are spaced as they leave the shrinkwrap machine. The advantage is that the packs can thus be brought closer without creating impacts between the same.

The belt indicated by 20 is the one that acts as a metering device for the palletiser and the handle applicator 8 can be applied to said belt 20.

An encoder and a checking and counting photocell are mounted on each belt. Thus the packs are kept under control throughout the path from the shrinkwrap machine to the palletiser, as number and position.

FIGS. 7 a-7 d show different operating configurations of the transport system 7 with dynamic accumulation object of the present invention. In particular, FIG. 7 a shows normal operating conditions; FIGS. 7 b and 7 c show operation in the emptying mode of the oven of the shrinkwrap machine 6 according to two successive stages; FIG. 7 d shows operation in stoppage conditions of the palletiser 9.

In the packaging plant according to the invention, the described components are directly connected to each other without interposition of accumulation transports to constitute a single monobloc unit, equipped with a single centralised control (electrical panel, user interface), thus simplifying the management of the system.

The main advantages of the packaging system object of the invention relate to the following aspects:

-   -   optimal feeding of the bottles into the packaging machine,     -   optimal operation even in the event of bottles of unstable form,     -   the packaging machine can work equally with single and double         rows,     -   packs transport system without change of format also passing         from two-row mode with small packs to single-row mode for large         packs,     -   pre-packaged system without the need for lengthy on-site         testing,     -   compact system with saving of space due to the installation         thereof. 

1. A bottle packaging system in a bottling line, said system comprising: a rotating carousel pick-up device for picking up bottles from a labelling or filling machine; a rectilinear multi-lane conveying belt; a packaging machine comprising at least one of a shrinkwrap machine or a cartoning machine; and a transport system for connecting the packs exiting from the packaging machine with downstream devices comprising at least one of at least one handle applicator, at least one in-line palletiser, or packs orientators, wherein said transport system comprises, at a grip circumference of said rotating carousel, which corresponds to the point of release of the bottles by the gripping means, a connecting zone with said conveying belt, said connecting zone consisting of a plurality of adjacent flexible chain belts with a spiral progression having increasing curvature radius, which constitute as many lanes, adapted to support and distance, in a centrifugal direction, the bottles released onto said flexible chain belts by said gripping means, directing the bottles towards the corresponding lanes of said conveying belt, the lanes of said connecting zone underneath the rotating carousel being in a position of intersection with said grip circumference.
 2. The packaging system according to claim 1, wherein said positions of intersection between said grip circumference and said lanes are distributed in discrete positions along a circular arc of said grip circumference of angle α between 180°-240°.
 3. The packaging system according to claim 1, wherein said connecting zone is formed by a series of a circular arc segments that are joined to each other.
 4. The packaging system according to claim 3, wherein each segment is equipped with a fixed number of lanes greater than the upstream segment in the advancement direction of the bottles.
 5. The packaging system according to claim 3, wherein said segments are aligned to each other on their outer perimeters.
 6. The packaging system according to claim 3, further comprising three segments, wherein each segment substantially defines a circular arc of about 90°.
 7. The packaging system according to claim 1, wherein said conveying belt further comprises a discard path.
 8. The packaging system according to claim 1, wherein each transport lane of said belt is divided into at least three sections that succeed each other in the advancement direction, wherein each section has a lesser speed than the upstream section.
 9. The packaging system according to claim 8, wherein each of said at least three sections has a motor that is electronically controlled by counting to maintain a constant thrust on to a downstream bottle division system.
 10. The packaging system according to claim 8, wherein ends of two consecutive sections of said at least three sections are laterally adjacent, the bottles being laterally diverted with respect to an advancement direction on passage to a next section.
 11. The packaging system according to claim 8, wherein said at least three sections comprise at least three groups of conveying belts, each controlled by said motor, arranged in oblique direction with respect to the advancement direction of the conveying belt, wherein, at each transport lane, adjacent belts belonging to different sections are placed alongside a lateral edge thereof, the bottles advancing in a rectilinear manner in the advancement direction.
 12. The packaging system according to claim 11, wherein at least one of said transport lanes of the belt or said transport lanes of the connecting zone are separated from each by a lamina.
 13. The packaging system according to claim 1, wherein said transport system is a dynamic accumulation system and comprises a plurality of belts without packs support guides, said belts being arranged head-adjacent, along their short side, each belt having an independent motorisation so as to be able to govern, through a central control system, a space between one and the other pack as a function of the speed of the belts mounted in succession and to bring the packs closer without creating impacts between the same.
 14. The packaging system according to claim 13, wherein each belt comprises an encoder and a photocell mounted for checking and counting the packs.
 15. The packaging system according to claim 14, wherein the last belt acts as a metering device for the palletiser.
 16. The packaging system according to claim 14, wherein said handle applicator is applied to said belt at a palletiser inlet.
 17. The packaging system according to claim 1, wherein each of said gripping means of said rotating carousel comprises a thrust linear actuator, said gripping means being guided in reciprocating movement in a radial direction by a cam control between an extracted position corresponding to the opening of said gripping means and a retracted position corresponding to the closure of said gripping means.
 18. The packaging system according to claim 17, wherein a cam is associated with each lane, each said cam being distributed on two superimposed discs.
 19. The packaging system according to claim 1, wherein said components are directly connected to each other without interposition of accumulation transports to constitute a single monobloc unit, equipped with a single centralised control. 